Shuffle feed mechanism for single filing articles



Dec; 27, 1955 c, PlKE, JR ET AL 2,728,443

SHUFFLE FEED MECHANISM FOR SINGLE FILING ARTICLES Filed April 13, 195] 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 lIlllIllIlIl minim" a l/VVE/VTOAJ' :1. mm a. PIKE m, RALPH A. om/amwrv 11%, 4a! A ale/v57 Dec. 27. 1955 JR, ET AL 2,728,443

SHUFFLE FEED MECHANISM FOR SINGLE FILING ARTICLES Filed April 13, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG; 4.

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47- aR/YE SHUFFLE FEED MECHANISM FOR SINGLE FILING ARTICLES Clinton B. Pike, Jim, and Ralph K. Daugherty, San .iose, Califi, assiguors to Roy M. Magnusou, doing business as Magnuson Engineers, San Jose, Calif.

Application April 13, 1951, Serial No. 220,944

8 Claims. (Cl. 198-30) The present invention relates to apparatus and methods for single filing of articles and is concerned more particularly with methods and apparatus employing a shufiie type feed for efliecting a reliable and continuous single filing of articles to provide a unit-by-unit feed in timed sequential relation.

The invention has for its objects, among others, the provision of methods and apparatus for the single filing of articles in a reliable and continuous manner to provide the timed nnit-by-unit feed desirable in many automatic processing operations, such as for exmaple, the weight filling of containers. The invention contemplates the use of a simple process and apparatus for accomplis'ning the above object which employs a shufi'le type feed constructed and arranged to obtain the operation as described above.

The above and other objects of the invention are attained, as illustrated in the preferred embodiment of the invention, shown in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a plan View of one part of a unit of single filing apparatus for producing a plurality of files and carrying out the instant invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the apparatus taken as indicated by the line 22 in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view through the first stage of the shuffle feed mechanism, as indicated by the line 3-3 in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional view through the second stage of the shuffie feed mechanism as indicated by the line 4-4 in Figure 1.

In connection with the instant invention, the process employed is the establishing of a flow of indiscriminately arranged articles to be segregated and rearranged into one or more single file unit-by-unit feeds. The preliminary or first stage comprises segregation or separation of this indiscriminately arranged flow into one or more segregated parallel multiple unit flows, each in an amount in excess of that required for a single file unit-by-unit feed, and subsequently, an arrangement of this flow into successive parallel transverse rows of units with one side of the rows terminating in the same plane so that at one end of each row there is a unit representing a part of a single file unit-by-unit feed. This single file is segregated from the remainder of the units in each transverse row and such remainder is diverted and returned to the original flow or to another desired location for subsequent refeeding. In other words, the process produces a reliable single file feed by overfeeding the desired amount to insure at all times one continuous unitby-unit file of articles available for feeding into a container or to other desired processing equipment.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a shuflle feed mechanism which is of generally conventional construction insofar as the mounting and operation of the shuffie feed members is concerned, but which is specially constructed in accordance with the instant invention to 2,728,443 Patented Dec. 27, 1955 adapted to receive an indiscriminate feed of articles over an inclined feed chute 11. The first stage shufile feed mechanism includes a series of stationary shufile feed members 12 and reciprocating shufile feed members 13, which are of conventional construction, i. e., they extend transversely to the longitudinal path of flow of the articles through the shuifie feed mechanism, and the reciprocating members 13 are connected to a common linkage connection 14 carried by pivoted supportarm 16 operated through a crank arm 17 from an eccentric drive 18. Adjacent the discharge end of the first stage 10 there are provided stationary members 21 and reciprocating members 22 of special construction having their upper ends formed V-shaped to provide rsepective valleys in alignment with openings 24 in a partition or wall 26. These openings 24 lead onto one side of parallel second stage shufiie feed mechanisms each comprising stationary blades 31 and reciprocating blades 32, both the blades 31 and 32 are angled to the horizontal to place their lowest ends adjacent the wall 33. Toward the bottom of Figure 1, with respect to each partition wall 33 the second stage feed and the blades are also angled with respect to the longitudinal axis to place the trailing edge thereof adjacent the cooperating wall 33. It will be noted that each feed aperture 24 on each of these single filing shufiie feed mechanisms is adjacent its high side of the blades or members so that the units or articles fed into each of them tend to spread out and drift toward the lower side, i. e., toward the related barrier or wall 33, so that a file of articles will progress along this Wall and this file will be fed unit-by-unit into a a discharge opening or chute 34. The units against a wall 33 are restrained by restraining member 37 which is connected to and carried by the reciprocating blades or shufiie feed members 32. As the shufile feed members are advanced the restraining members 37 project and catch the unit of the single file feed. Subsequently as the restraining member 37 recedes the unit will be fed into the discharge chute 34. The remainder of the articles in one of the parallel rows Will be discharged over the end of the shuffie feed mechanism onto a diverting ramp 36 which will return the articles to a desired point of the shuffle feed mechanism or to some other part of the process.

Preferably the volume of flow of the units and material into each of the shuflle feed single filing shufiie feed mechanisms is in excess of the amount required for one single file of units therethrough in a given time to insure one complete single file at all times, and preferably from two to three times as much material required for one continuous single file is fed into these mechanisms so that an excess or diverted flow passes over the end of each individual single filing shufile feed at all times.

To summarize briefly the method disclosed herein and the operation of the apparatus disclosed herein and a flow of indiscriminately arranged articles is fed into the mechanism over the feed ramp 11 onto the first stage shufile feed mechanism which toward its discharge and serves to segregate this flow into the desired number of parallel multiple unit feeds by means of the V-shaped valleys 23 formed in both the stationery and reciprocating members at the end of this first stage of the shuffle feed. These multiple unit flows pass through the openings 24 onto the high side of the shuflle feed members 31 and 32 of the second stage or single filing stage of the shufile feed so that the articles are-moved onto this second stage of the shufiie feed as successive parallel rows of articles which by virtue of the angling of the shuttle feed mem- 3 bers 31 and 32, and the lead imported thereto as well, drift or are fed both longitudinally of the shuflle feed mechanism and transversely thereof toward the wall 33 on the low side of this stage of the shuffie feed. As a result the transverse parallel rows of articles have their end articles adjacent the wall 33 lying in the same continuous line and this end line or file of articles is fed onto the restraining members and then into the discharge chute or opening 34, while any other articles are diverted from this single file and fed onto the ramp 31. It will be noted that While such diverted articles are fed ofi of the shuflie feed mechanism on the advance of the reciprocating members the article to be discharged into the chute 34 as a part of the desired single file is fed onto the restraining blade 37 and is held thereby until this blade is retracted so that this single article is fed from the shufiie feed mechanism as the reciprocating members are restored from their advanced position.

While we have shown and described certain preferred methods and apparatus for carrying out the invention, it is apparent that the invention is capable of both variation and modification from the particular forms shown, so that the scope thereof should be limited only by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

We claim:

1. A shulfie feed mechanism for receiving indiscriminately arranged articles and for segregating and delivering a single file of such articles, comprising a series of transversely disposed stationary article holding members, a series of transversely disposed movable article feeding members arranged in alternating parallel relation with respect to said holding members, said members being inclined to the horizontal both longitudinally and transversely of the mechanism, a guide and retaining wall extending along the lower ends of said members, means forming a discharge path for the file of articles immediately adjacent said wall, means forming another discharge path extending along the remainder of the discharge end of said mechanism, and means for reciprocating said movable members.

2. A shufiie feed mechanism for receiving indiscriminately arranged articles and for segregating and delivering a single file of such articles, comprising a series of transversely disposed stationary article holding members, a series of transversely disposed movable article feeding members arranged in alternating parallel relation with respect to said holding members, the upper edges of said members being inclined to the horizontal, a guide and retaining wall extending along the lower ends of said members, means forming a discharge path for the file of articles immediately adjacent said wall, means forming another discharge path extending along the remainder of the discharge end of said mechanism, means for reciprocating said movable members.

3. A shufile feed mechanism for receiving indiscriminately arranged articles and for segregating and delivering a single file of such articles, comprising a series of transversely disposed stationary article holding members, a series of transversely disposed movable article feeding members arranged in alternating parallel relation with respect to said holding members, the upper edges of said members being inclined to the horizontal, a guide and retaining wall extending along the lower ends of said members, means forming a discharge path for the file of articles immediately adjacent said wall, means forming another discharge path extending along the remainder of the discharge end of said mechanism, and means for reciproeating said movable members, and means operated by said movable members for delaying the discharge of each article in said file.

4. A shufile feed mechanism comprising a series of transversely disposed stationary article holding members, a series of transversely disposed movable article feeding members arranged in alternating parallel relation with respect to said holding members, said members being inclined to the horizontal to provide a lateral component in the progression of articles thereby, a guide and retaining wall extending along the lower ends of said members, and means for operating said movable members.

5. A shuflie feed mechanism for receiving indiscriminately arranged articles and for segregating and delivering a single file of such articles, comprising a preliminary feed section including a series of transversely disposed movable article feeding members and an alternating series of transversely disposed stationary article-holding members for receiving an indiscriminate flow of articles and for arranging said articles as a multiple file for discharge adjacent one side of said feed section, a single filing feed section disposed at the discharge end of said preliminary feed section and having a series of transversely arranged feed members disposed to advance articles longitudinally along the section and transversely toward a side thereof opposite to said one side and also including a series of holding members arranged alternately with respect to said feed members and disposed similarly thereto, an article restraining wall for interrupting transverse advance of said articles, and means for separating the file of articles advancing along said wall from the remainder of the articles.

6. A shufile feed mechanism for receiving indiscriminately arranged articles and for segregating and delivering a single file of such articles, comprising a preliminary feed section including a series of transversely disposed movable article feeding members and an alternating series of transversely disposed stationary article-holding members for receiving an indiscriminate flow of articles and including feed elements having a trough shape at their upper edges for arranging said articles as a multiple file for discharge adjacent one side of said feed section, a single filing feed section disposed at the discharge end of said preliminary feed section and having a series of transversely arranged feed members disposed to advance articles longitudinally along the section and transversely toward a side thereof opposite to said one side and also including a series of holding members arranged alternately with respect to said feed members and disposed similarly thereto, an article restraining wall for interrupting transverse advance of said articles, and means for separating the file of articles advancing along said wall from the remainder of the articles.

7. A shufile feed mechanism for receiving indiscriminately arranged articles and for segregating and delivering a single file of such articles, comprising a series of transversely disposed stationary article holding members, a series of transversely disposed movable article feeding members arranged in alternating parallel relation with respect to said holding members, said members being inclined to the direction of travel of articles over said members, a guide and retaining wall extending along the lower ends of said members, means forming a discharge path for the file of articles immediately adjacent said wall, means forming another discharge path extending along the remainder of the discharge end of said mechanism, and means for reciprocating said movable members.

8. A shuflle feed mechanism for receiving indiscriminately arranged articles and for segregating and delivering a single file of such articles, comprising a series of transversely disposed stationary article holding members, a series of transversely disposed movable article feeding members arranged in alternating parallel relation with respect to said holding members, said mechanism also including means for imparting a lateral component to articles during travel of articles over said members, a guide and retaining wall extending along the lower ends of said members, means forming a discharge path for the tile of articles immediately adjacent said wall, means forming another discharge path extending along the re- 5 6 mainder of the discharge end of said mechanism, and 1,865,086 Cutler June 28, 1932 means for reciprocating said movable members. 1,992,331 Smith Feb. 26, 1935 2,393,334 Mobley Jan. 22, 1946 References Cited in the file of this patent 2,555,602 N n J 5, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 2,620,059 Niederer Dec. 2, 1952 1,044,067 McKesson Nov. 12, 1912 

